Futuristic fast-food eatery designed around technology

San Francisco -- The old-fashioned automat has been reborn as the nation’s first fully-automated, high-tech fast-food restaurant.



Eatsa, a start-up restaurant concept, has opened its first location, near the Embarcadero Center in downtown San Francisco. The format combines two of the city’s biggest interests: healthy eating and innovative technology. And don’t worry about tipping — there is almost no human interaction in the entire Eatsa experience.



"Eatsa is reinventing fast food by combining the speed and affordability of fast food with the delicious flavors and nutritious ingredients of premium fast casual," said Tim Young, co-founder of Eatsa. "By developing new technology to automate every aspect of the food experience, we are able to deliver a product with the best qualities of premium fast casual at a price point that is accessible to everyone."



Here’s how it works: Customers place their order on one of the store’s tablets, selecting from about eight menu options (all meat-free, and all with quinoa), and pay using one of the supplied tablets or by their smartphone. Orders can also be customized.



The food pick-up system features a collection of glass door "cubbies,” which resemble something out of The Jetsons. When a meal is ready (it only takes a couple of minutes), the door transforms to display the customer’s name and presents the food at the touch of a button. The only visible employee is a “concierge” who is on hand to help customers with the technology.



"It's essentially lunch on demand," said Scott Drummond, Eatsa co-founder. "Eatsa's Order Anywhere concept translates to zero wait time for customers. No more waiting in line.



According to reports, Eatsa plans to open two more locations in upcoming months.